This invention is a locking mechanism used in combination with a geared core winder for securing core winders or chucks within a core roll which holds material, such as cloth, paper, rugs or other web-like products. More specifically, this device is a reversible locking mechanism used in combination with a geared core winder for restricting axial rotation in either direction of a geared core winder when placed within a core roll holding a cloth-like material. Devices for holding core rolls have been an important component of machines for winding or measuring cloth, paper, web-like products for many years. Generally these web-like products are wound onto hollow cores whose lengths frequently are in excess of 4 feet. Common cores are generally manufactured from a hollow thickened cardboard-like material with a thickness of ⅛ to about ¾ of an inch. The overall diameter of these cores may vary from an inch to several inches.
Conventional devices for holding these cores, sometimes called chucks or core winders, are frequently ribbed to provide a better grip on the cores. For example, one conventional core winder is a ribbed cone which is placed on a metal bar which runs within a core and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,244,865. U.S. Pat. No. 2,771,251 discloses a conventional machine for measuring the length of cloth which contains a pair of devices for holding cores for rolls of cloth. Each of these devices for holding a core contains two chucks, 9, each of which is ribbed and one of each pair of which is adjustable in a horizontal plane to permit the device to hold various lengths of cores. A similar type of device for use with asphalt coatings is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,854. This device uses core engaging splines, 32, on the roll supporting units to hold the cores in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,037,988 discloses a core chuck with a key, 3, which extends from the surface of a conical piece and which fits within a notch in the core roll to restrict the movement of the core roll on the core chuck.
Another device designed for prevention of movement of a core roll is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,231,140 which discloses a core plug containing spiraling threads, 12, of a diameter greater than the shaft, 8, of the core plug. These spiral threads tend to grab onto the inside of the core and restrict its movement.
A more sophisticated device for holding core rolls of paper is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,284,251. This device discloses a bearing for supporting the core of rolls of paper with extension devices, 7, which extend from the surface of the supporting device to grab the inner surface of the core. These extension devices are extended out by a combination of a pair of telescopically coupled elements impacted by an expansion spring. See also U.S. Pat. No. 3,224,701 which discloses another device for holding a core roll.
A number of radial and/or axial releasable, locking core chucks or supports for core chucks have been disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,007,268, 4,160,530, 4,158,446 and 4,058,268.
Another locking core chuck, which includes a threaded spindle with a drive for rotating the spindle, contains core chuck lugs which are free to rotate with the spindle until locked by an annular gear, is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,683,057.
A torque-actuated, expandable shaft assembly for core rolls containing a directional core engagement mechanism is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,640.
Although each of these patents discloses a core winding device for controlling the movement of a core roll which holds paper, fabric or web-like products, there is still a need for improvements to these core winders. Specifically, current core winders tend to tear up the core rolls because of their ribbed surface structure. In addition, slippage is still a significant problem especially with large rolls of material. Further, current core winders have difficulty in adjusting to different sized core rolls and may require a number of different core winder devices to fit various sizes of cores.
One device designed to address these issues is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,135,180. This geared core winder holds a core roll for fabric or other materials securely in position on the shaft of the core winder. In use fins, 38, extend out from the geared rods, 32, and lock into position within the core containing the fabric or other materials. These fins, 38, prevent the movement of the core roll in relation to the core lock, but only in one direction. For example, the core lock system may be used to wind material in a clockwise rotation, and will restrict rotation of the core in a counter clockwise direction. However, the mechanism is not effective in preventing additional clockwise rotation of the core.
Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to produce a locking mechanism for use with a core winder utilized in the winding of fabric, rugs, paper, materials and other web-like products on cores.
Another object of the in invention is a reversible locking mechanism for use with core winders, particularly geared core winders, which can restrict clockwise or counterclockwise rotation of the geared core winder while said core winder is present within a core.
These and other objects of the invention will be apparent from a review of the description and the appended claims.